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Former Speaker O'Brien wants gas tax money to go to infrastructure only

New Hampshire Union Leader
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State Rep. Bill O'Brien, R-Mont Vernon, a former House Speaker, said Monday that instead of raising the state gas tax, the state should prohibit use of the current tax for anything other than fixing roads and bridges.

O'Brien said he intends to propose an amendment on the House floor on Wednesday to "stop raiding the highway fund for spending not directly related to road construction and repairs."

The Hassan administration said eliminating that use of gas tax revenues for the public safety budget would mean fewer state troopers out supervising traffic.

O'Brien said public safety officials should compete in the normal budget process for money for troopers, the same way other departments make their cases for legislative funding from the general fund.

Freestater O'Brien only wants to exclude the NH State Police from being funded by a portion of the state fuel tax. The NH state Constitution specifally states the fuel tax shall fund road building and maintenance and the control of traffic/transportation. O'Brien would have residents pay another tax to fund NH State Police. They must have given him too many speeding and failure to stop traffic tickets last year!

Fuel taxes should also be available for projects that benefit drivers like mass transit, bicycle lanes, and other projects that reduce road use and competition for road space. These projects also benefit drivers.